


Full of Life and Full of Love

by Static_Era



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-18
Updated: 2013-06-22
Packaged: 2017-12-15 08:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/847372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Static_Era/pseuds/Static_Era
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Super AU, in which Remus is determined to prove Sirius's innocence to free him from Azkaban, and then how they cope. Sort of turns into a twinge of a songfic at bits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> General disclaimer of not mine, etc. etc. 
> 
> I'm not sure how long this will end up being, but I hope you enjoy! I promise it's not sad. It's mixed humor and romance and a little bit of stress. Also, awesomeness. Please comment with critiques or compliments!

Remus was shocked, confused, baffled. It was later that day.. after Sirius had killed all those muggles and Wormtail - Wormtail! Sirius had killed Wormtail! He'd been at home with his parents when the note had arrived from the owl, in green ink and with thin slanting handwriting.

'Come to my office with the utmost haste.'

Remus grabbed a bag above the fireplace, tossing in a handful of the floo powder before he stepped in. "Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts!" He called confidently before he disappeared into the flames, assuming Dumbledore has dropped the defenses enough for Remus to get through.

Everything was panic. Every fireplace he got a glimpse out of, people were horrified as they learned about the Potters from the night before, about their secret-keeper Sirius betraying them and then murdering others. 

His boyfriend, the love of his life for six years and the Godfather of the Potter's son, their secret keeper.. had been working for, with Voldemort. Remus didn't understand, there was no dark mark.. unless he covered it? Remus would've known.

He stepped out hurriedly at Dumbledore's office, glad to not fall forward and break his nose. "Professor!" He called out, voice having a weak, pleading edge to it.

Dumbledore turned, smiling to Remus. "It's Albus, Remus. You haven't been my pupil in quite some time."

Contrary to the swirl of everything Remus had been feeling, Dumbledore's office was.. calm. The same as it always had been, and with Dumbledore merely smiling and being calm as well.

Remus choked a little, unable to keep the tears from jumping to his eyes. Not really the overly-emotional type, this was weird for him. But the Potters were dead, Wormtail was dead, the love of his life was aligned with Lord Voldemort.. Feeling his word crashing, he sank helplessly into a chair. "Harry.." He mumbled, the tears spilling over.

Dumbledore waved a hand, shaking his head and still giving a small smile. "Is safe." He promised, and Remus looked up in shock. Was okay? Was alive, and safe? Baffled, Remus spluttered out a few questionable words, but Dumbledore instead pushed the pensive towards Remus. "I've already put them in, look." The headmaster said, stirring it slightly.

Figures popped up, silvery figures. A Sirius, a James, and a Lily. Remus felt anger flare in him, and he let out an involuntary snarl, but stopped when Dumbledore rose a hand to quiet him.

"…not smart, they know I'm you're best mate, everyone does.. that I'm Harry's godfather." Sirius was explaining, waving his hands in frustration. the silvery James figure nodded, cutting in before Sirius could continue.

"That's precisely why.. we're going to have our secret keeper be Peter." Remus rose at the words, chair flying out from behind him as he stood to stare closely at the silvery figures on the liquid.

"What?! No!" Sirius called, grabbing James' shoulders and shaking his gently. "James! I won't tell, they could crucio the love for Remus out of me, and I'd never tell! I would.. nothing would make me tell. Even.." Sirius looked down. "Even if they hurt Remus. He'd hate me if I told, I'd hate myself." He expressed, sadly. James nodded.

"I don't want you to be put in that situation, either of you, to watch the other suffer for our secret.. Peter's good, he'll keep it a secret." James insisted, Lily nodding as she put a gentle hand on Sirius's arm. 

The figures dissolved back in, and Remus sat down slowly, grateful that Dumbledore had used his wand to right the chair. "I.. I had no idea.. Sirius.. they all told me he was their secret keeper.." He mumbled, staring blankly at the desk.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, he hated lying to you. But.. we thought it was for the best." Dumbledore looked down, sadly. "I partially blame myself, for putting the idea in their head that death eaters could torture you to get the information from Sirius." 

Remus nodded along slowly, before he looked back to the Headmaster, a fiery hatred lighting in his eyes as he growled out, "Peter told." It wasn't a question, just easily putting two and two together.

Albus gave another sad nod. "Yes.. Probably only ran into Voldemort a few months ago, or else I daresay we would've already known."

Remus felt like he was hyperventilating, rocking back and forth. "So Sirius was right in killing Peter.. but those muggles…" He added sadly, Dumbledore shaking his head and moving over to the side of the desk Remus was on, putting a gentle hand on the shaking man's shoulder. 

"Come. There wasn't a trial, but I was at the decision." He said, waving an inviting hand to the pensive. Remus looked up, before rising and bending over the bowl with Dumbledore. Everything was dark and spinning, before Remus and Dumbledore landed next to.. Dumbledore. Sirius was completely chained up, dement ors around him, which Remus stared at his Dumbledore. 

"Dementors?! They're working for him!" He hissed, Dumbledore shaking his head.

"There is more to the Potters death that you don't know.. last night, Voldemort broke.. and the dement ors came to our side. A deal, with them guarding Azkaban." Remus choked at that. Azkaban? They wanted to send Sirius to Azkaban?! But Dumbledore set a finger to his lips, nodding to Sirius.

He looked.. gone. There was a mad gleam to his eyes, and he was very dirty, not even struggling. He was shaking, though.. or maybe shivering? Perhaps both. 

The minister rose. "You are being sentenced to a life in Azkaban with the rest of the death eaters we've caught, for murdering muggles, the murder of Lily and James Potter, and the murder of Peter Pettigrew." At the last name, Sirius looked up.

"No! He's still out there!" He called, but the minister shook his head easily, despite Sirius's protests. He didn't care he was going somewhere with death eaters, he cared that Peter was still out there. 

But Peter died, didn't he? That's what Remus thought.

The minister cleared it up quickly, holding up a box. "You did your job so thoroughly that all that's left of him is a finger!" He yelled angrily, Sirius thrashing.

"No! I never cast the spell, do priori incantatum, it wasn't me, he escaped!" Sirius went out, thrashing in his chains, the dement ors creeping closer and only making Sirius' shaking worse. As he was led out, he looked back, and his eyes seemed to latch onto Remus's. Remus, of course, knew very well that he wasn't there, but it was.. chilling.

"He's still out there! You know he is! Just ask who's left!" He called, and with a start, Remus realized he was talking to Dumbledore. Sirius was gone, and the room began chattering again as Remus attempted to keep himself composed.

"Let us depart." Albus said, grasping gently onto Remus's elbow and they rose up once more, into darkness before settling back into Dumbledore's office, where he picked up a wand from his desk. "I did prior incantatum.. and he's right. The spell was not his." Albus went back to his side of the desk, sitting gently in the chair.

"So I ask you.. based on these facts, what do you think happened?"

Remus leaned forward and put his head in his hands. "Peter always sought power…" He mumbled, bitterly. "So.. he revealed the Potter's hiding place. Sirius knew immediately that it had been him and chased him down to a muggle area. Both had wands drawn, and Peter cast before Sirius could. In the.. in what followed, Peter.. Peter turned. Sirius shot off a spell directly at him.. didn't hit any muggles, but got his finger. So.. Peter is out there. As.. as a rat." He finished, looking up at Dumbledore.

Albus nodded along, smiling. "Yes, that is my suspicion as well. But, Voldemort is gone. So where did he go?" He questioned, looking at Remus once more.

Remus looked questioningly. "Is.. is he actually?" But Dumbledore just merely leveled Remus with a look that made it clear that Dumbledore wasn't entirely convinced. Finally, he shook his head. "I.. I don't know. Where could he have gone?" Remus rubbed his head thoughtfully, trying to think before he looked at Dumbledore with his eyes lit up. "But, isn't priori incantatum enough to prove his innocence?!" Remus asked excitedly, but Dumbledore shook his head. 

"I don't believe it is enough with Peter supposedly dead. We need to find him." Albus said with an air of finality, and Remus nodded.

Sirius didn't care that they thought it was him.. but the finger gave it all away. Peter his turned into a rat and gotten away. If Peter were dead, then he'd be fine to rot in Azkaban all his life, but Peter was still out there, and.. and Remus thought Sirius had murdered everyone. The Potters, except Harry who was safely with Hagrid or Albus, Peter, and all those unsuspecting muggles. 

Those were all he cared about. The justice was served to Peter, and that Remus knew the truth. But here he was, thinking of the happiest times he could to keep himself from caving to the dementors. 

A specific one, from first year, of meeting Remus..

-

James and Sirius were devising a prank, having met on the train and learned just how well they got on. They hadn't even noticed him sneaking up on them, until he spoke in a quiet and nervous voice.

"You'll.. you'll get caught. It's not nice."

Both Sirius and James paused in their corner of the common room, turning to look curiously at the approaching first year. "Yeah, well they're not nice, bugger off." Sirius said with a roll of his eyes and a snigger as they turned back to their prank.

"I won't let you." Remus said, this time with a little more force, clenching his fists.

It was James who laughed this time as both boys rose and grabbed the bag, plan formally sorted out. "I'd like to see you try and stop us." He chided, brushing past Remus and bumping their shoulders rather hard.

Sirius looking almost pityingly at Remus, patting him on the shoulder. "Go to bed if you know what's good for you." They all shared a room, but it was really the first words outside of answers in class they'd heard from him. Sirius brushed past Remus, being careful not to hit him as James had.

With a confused look, Remus turned, chasing after them. "Wait, I won't let you!" 

James had rolled his eyes and made an annoyed noise, but as they left the common room through the portrait of the fat lady, Sirius put a finger to his lips. "Shh, you can't stop us, but at least shut up."

Remus blinked. He could've yelled and gotten them in trouble, it was after hours. "Won't someone see you?" He asked, blinking. James whipped a clock out from a pocket inside his cloak, and it was.. clear? No, invisible!

Remus gawked as James draped it over both of them, and they disappeared.

"Wait.." Remus said, not so loud to get them caught, but hoping they might still be there. "I.. I don't want you to get in trouble. Or hurt anyone.. and.." I want friends.He thought sullenly to himself. There was at least five minutes of silence, and Remus turned sadly to give the password. Suddenly there was a fluttering, and a grinning Sirius appeared in front of him, James right next to him. Remus gasped loudly in surprise, but quieted himself quickly.

"Come on, then." Sirius said, and Remus was pleased to learn he was under the cloak with them. So they set off, to set dung bombs on the Slytherins.

-

Months. Months had passed since the Potters' - since James and Lilys' - deaths. He couldn't just say the Potters, Harry was still alive. While everyone was out searching for Aurors, Remus was searching for.. a rat missing a finger. Toe. Were they all toes for rats? Remus didn't really know. He mostly just hoped that he didn't eat the bastard during a certain night a month.

Albus was trying to help him as much as possible, having the Marauder's Map with him in his office, in case for some outrageous reason Peter returned. Remus had the cloak, and a constantly determined look on his face. Sirius had saved Remus more than once, Remus wasn't about to let his best friend, the only other Marauder left, and the love of his life rot in Azkaban. He'd visited Sirius once in the dreadful prison on an island, thanks to Albus pulling some strings.

It had been back at the beginning, before Remus had really started his search. Sirius had been very much himself, grinning and jokes and telling Remus to take his time, dementors weren't scary or intimidating, and he was fully well intending to not die in here. That was what worried Remus the most - people died in Azkaban more often than not, from the constant emotional and physical coldness. Happiness drained, they had nothing to live for, and so they just.. stopped.

Moony had to hurry.

He kept having odd dreams. Nothing bad, per se, but they almost all revolved around Sirius. Certainly nothing sexual, nor anything that had happened, just.. them talking. About where Peter could be. Dream-Sirius gave him ideas, and dream-Remus plotted and tried to remind Sirius of happier times.

"I wish you were out.. Padfoot could smell him out in an instant." Remus said, smiling. "Moony would, but he sort of.." Remus shrugged, and dream-Sirius laughed and nodded. 

"I know. Don't worry, I have full faith in you. Who knows? Maybe I'll be the first person to break out of Azkaban." He laughed with a wink.

That had worried Remus, making him work post-haste, remembering back when the Marauders had chosen to become animagus.

It wasn't after a particularly bad full moon, it was more.. the straw that broke the camel's back in their minds. They were just so sick of seeing Remus wake up miserable and worried that he'd killed someone. It had been a surprise, so Remus knew of only a little bit.. like when he learned they had, during third year.

-

"Remus, we have.. a bit of a surprise for you." James had started, but they were all grinning broadly, probably bigger than Remus had ever seen. It was as though they'd slept with coat hangers in their mouths and they couldn't stop. Watching them was making even his own jaw hurt.

Naturally, he was suspicious and his eyes narrowed. "I'm worried." He started easily.

Sirius feigned shock. "But Remus! When have we ever wronged you?!" He questioned, hand over his heart.

Remus had opened his mouth to answer, but James and Sirius grabbed an arm each and began all but dragging him down, out of the castle, and towards the forbidden forest. Now that worried him. 

"Guys, it's dangerous in there. Critters and.. things.. and.. what, what are you doing?!" They had literally brought him into the forest, and weren't stopping. Now Remus was actively trying to back up, but he didn't have much of a hope against James and Sirius. Finally, Hogwarts castle had disappeared, and enough thoughts were going through his head to kill someone.

This is it. They think you're disgusting because of your curse, they're going to kill you. They've brought you out here to kill you, they're going to kill me, what do I do?! Wait, Remus you're a wizard, don't be daft-

 

Finally they stopped and released him, and the first thing Remus did was draw his wand, pointing at each of the other three in turn. "What are you doing? Don't come near me!" His voice was far shakier than he would've liked, as he took a step back.

James, Sirius, and Peter look genuinely hurt, but Sirius was the only one bold enough to step forward. He called Remus's bluff silently, that Remus wouldn't actually hurt them, and just hugged the half-breed instead.

"Don't be daft, this is a gift. Put down your wand." Sirius had whispered to him, lips brushing against Remus's ears. The entire thing made him blush, and he pocketed his wand as Sirius stepped back to the other three.

"May I introduce to you…" Sirius pointed at Peter, "Wormtail!" They'd come up with the nicknames on their own. Moony's of course was already Moony - they were making a map and couldn't use their real names, but they'd been stuck on nicknames for the other three. Now it was perfect, except that before Remus's eyes, Peter disappeared and was left as.. a rat. A rat?! He scurried around, scared and snuffling the ground.

"Prongs!" Was Sirius's next introduction as James transformed into a beautiful buck, lowering and raising his head with pride at his antlers. Remus's jaw got a little closer to the ground.

"And Padfoot!" Sirius gestured to himself, and then Sirius was gone and was left as a large, black dog who bounded over to Remus, jumping to put his front paws on Remus's chest. Remus, too shocked to actually do anything, merely sat down on the ground hard, finding himself with a massive dog in his lap and licking his face.

"I.. I.. what?!" Remus asked, eyes the size of dinner plates. "What did you do?! This.. This is illegal!" His voice was hitting octaves he hadn't known that it could. Were they.. what.. what had they done?!

After a soft whining noise, Sirius had turned back and Remus had found himself with a lapful of Sirius instead. "We.. well. We hated how much you always tore yourself up. So we became animagus!"

Remus stared. Unregistered animagus. His friends had become unregistered and very illegal and very complicated animagus.. to help him. "I… what?" It was less of the shrill and upset voice, and more of just surprised and awed.

Sirius beamed. "Well, we thought we could help! Peter can scurry in and hit the knot on the willow, and we can go down with you. Make sure you don't do anything you'd regret, since that's always your biggest fear. And we can keep you entertained, that's why I'm a huge dog. I can keep you back, keep you from hurting yourself or anyone else. Prongsie's got his antlers, and..well, like I sad, Peter can hit the knot and keep your distracted if he needs to."

Remus was shocked. This was.. brilliant. And horrible. It was impossible magic for third years, and so illegal, an yet they'd done it. They'd done for Remus. It was the first moment Remus had realized he truly had friends, whom he loved and who loved him. "I.. I just.." Tears sprang to his eyes and he quickly looked away, knowing how much they'd make fun of him.

Finally he managed to swallow the lump in his throat and look back to Sirius, and the once more-James and Peter. "When did you do this?" They'd been spending less time with him when he studied, but he'd figured it was just more pranks, which meant less chances for Remus to get in trouble.

Sirius had, by now, settled out of Remus's lap and helped him back up. "Well.. it took a while. And a lot of nights in the restricted sections."

"Sometimes days!" Peter chimed in, James and Sirius nodding. They'd fallen asleep some nights under the cloak and then had to sneak out the next morning, or would just stay and keep looking until class. James had come over, and clapped Remus affectionately on the back.

"I tell you, while we were working on it, it was hard. We'd three be up in the dorm, literally acting like animals. We couldn't exactly.. get it quite down." James explained, laughing while Sirius grinned. "It wasn't much different for Sirius, he's always a dog." He teased, Sirius responding by sticking out his tongue.

"But the real question is, what about the names?" Sirius asked, eyes lighting up. Again, Remus felt tears spring to his eyes, but kept blinking and swallowing to try and hide it. He wasn't even upset they'd chosen without him, because they were perfect.

"They're magnificent." He finally said, giving a grin to match the other three Marauders. He wanted to hug them, but as most 13-year-old boys know, that would be.. well, weird. Instead they chattered a little until a strange, inexplicable noise flushed them from the forest, running towards the edge until the safety of the castle came into view, with the darkness of the forest left behind.


	2. Chapter 2

A year to the day. Exactly one year ago, Sirius had been put in here. Remus had visited him only once, but Sirius knew it was for the best. Remus was, after all, trying to save him. 

But it was harder, already. He couldn't see himself, but he knew he looked gaunt, far too thin. Too little skin over too much bone. His eyes were large and dark, his hair was long and his facial hair had grown out. Not something he was a fan of, but not really something he had a choice on.

Sirius had learned the trick. Act like he was hopeless like everyone else, don't consciously think about his happy thoughts when dementors were around. It was beating him down, but it was also for the best. It meant they hovered around him less, thinking they'd found all his sad memories and destroyed all his happy memories.

When they were gone though he slipped back, finding a happy memory and just reveling in it. Most revolved around Remus, some around James. A lot were around all of the Marauders, but he tried to avoid those. Happy memories involving too much Peter made him angry enough to scream, and that anger attracted the dementors. 

Time kept passing. 

He kept marks on the wall of everyday. It hit a point where he might've been a little off. There were no windows, he couldn't exactly count the specific days, he just assumed he kept track enough of the meals he was given to keep it going. Turning from the past, Sirius started looking instead to the future, unable to keep reliving the past. It made him upset now, his happy memories, to know they were gone. Long past, and not coming back. The ones with James, certainly forever. The ones with Remus.. well, they were certainly put on hold indefinitely. The long it was, the longer 'indefinitely' felt more like 'forever.'

He turned to being released. When they took him out for a fair trial, when he could tell his side with Dumbledore and Remus by his side. When Peter was put away forever, and Sirius could take Harry from wherever he was and raise him properly.

Every time he thought of these things though, a voice hissed in the back of his mind. Impossible. Hopeless. He didn't know who the voice was - probably his own, but he hadn't spoken in so long he wasn't sure. He certainly knew what the voice was though. It was the dementors, he'd given a voice in his mind to the dementors and now they told him everything was hopeless, that everything good was impossible. 

-

Six years. Twelve years since they'd begun dating, six years since everything had gone so horribly wrong, and Remus was no closer to finding Peter. He was, however, thinking more about how could he break Sirius out. He'd seen the man twice in twelve years, and it.. well, Remus wasn't sure he could see him again unless it was to save him.

He was at the Burrow, drinking tea with his head buried in his hands while Molly went on about who knew what. She and Arthur had begun making children immediately, and even had one Harry's age - six. He was six. Six years old and their sixth child. The elders were already in Hogwarts, but it was summer so all seven children were home, with Arthur gone during the day to his work.

Then Molly said something that made his ears perk - a rat. The Weasley's had found a rat they'd be sending back to Hogwarts with Bill, recently. Remus felt himself shaking. "Bring.. bring him to me." What he'd been doing had to be kept secret - unregistered animagus was a severe accusation with no proof, but this.. even if Molly just saw it, this would be enough!

Molly went and brought back a shoebox, plopping it in front of Remus. Hope filled him, and with wand drawn and heart hammering, Remus opened the lid. The rat looked up sleepily, and screamed, trying to scurry out of the box. Remus grabbed him in one hand, casting three quick spells. "Revealio!" Suddenly, he was grasping the wrist of a screaming man, and Molly was screaming as well. "Stupefy!" One bit of screams stopped, and then, "Petrificus totalis!" 

Molly was still screaming as a stiff-as-a-board, unconscious man lay on her floor. Remus grabbed a napkin and the family owl, scribbling 'Peter, Floo - RJL' and telling the owl, "Albus, quick as could be."

Remus spent a good five minutes calming down Molly and the seven children who'd come running to find Scabbers gone and a man in his place. Remus didn't know how much he could say, so he said as little as he could.

"It's Pettigrew-"

"But he's DEAD!" Molly cried, voice about twelve octaves higher and very screechy.

"Yes, well no, longer story, but he was hiding as a rat - an unregistered animagus-"

"Oh my goodness!" Molly cried, falling into a chair and fanning herself.

Remus handed her a new cup of tea, which she idly just swirled around. After glancing at Molly, and then the seven confused children in the doorway, he strode towards the fireplace. "I owe you a pet Molly. And more Floo powder.. and an explanation, later." He promised, waving at the kids as he tossed some floo powder in. The owl had to have made it to Albus by now, but if not Remus was sure Albus would know it wasn't an attack. 

"Levicorpus." He cast onto Peter, floating him into the fireplace and managing to squish himself in with the larger man. "Albus Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts!" He cried. His heart was pounding. Would he actually get Sirius back?

The fireplaces he glimpsed were as usual. People mulling about their usual lives, and it was so completely opposite to how Remus felt that he wanted to scream and cheer and cry all at once, his heart feeling like it would hammer out of his chest. It was the complete opposite form six years ago, when Remus's turmoil had been matched by the homes he saw, and Dumbledore's office was the calm. 

Finally he saw what he was looking for and stepped out, dragging Peter's still-unconscious, still-petirified body with him. Albus was looking proud. "I've already contacted the ministry, and have called an emergency trial." Dumbledore's office matched Remus's mood now, the homes he'd passed were quite the opposite.

Remus looked shocked. "They agreed, knowing who it was?" Albus was now casting his own spells on Peter to ensure he couldn't escape or transform into a rat.

The Headmaster, after a moment, shook his head. "No. I haven't told them yet, but they're calling one. We need to keep Mr. Pettigrew a secret until the right moment, sort of a 'big reveal.'" Dumbledore did a little bit of jazz hands with that, and Remus nodded, trusting Dumbledore. They left together, cloaks fluttering as they walked quickly, out of the castle and away from the grounds. The moment that passed the barrier, both put a hand on each of Peters' arms, and turned on the spot. They'd known where to go, even without saying it.

They were in the bathrooms, and Albus took Peter into his stall, while Remus stepped into a separate one. They flushed, and found themselves in the Ministry of Magic. Most people were bustling around far to much to take notice of the floating Peter, and they managed to get him into a holding cell that led into the court room. 

"I'm sorry, Remus, but I would feel much more comfortable if you remained here and came in with him. Just to make sure he doesn't squirm away once more." Albus informed Remus, who nodded. 

"When.. when will I get to see Sirius?" He asked, trying to keep the hopeful, childish quaver out of his voice.

"Assumedly, today. If all goes well." Albus said, smiling pleasantly to Remus. With that, he turned and left, and Remus was left staring at his old ex-friend in his tattered muggle clothes, with one finger missing. How could they have been so blind? How could he have been so blind? But despite questioning it, he knew how. It had been something that had happened right before James and Lily's deaths. Maybe even just a few months before, but it was because Peter had always been drawn to power.

Even in Hogwarts, it wasn't James and Sirius who befriended Peter. It was more that Peter started following and taking the 'look-out' jobs, and so they kept him. When Voldemort was getting more powerful, and he came a-knocking, Peter followed him without question.

-

Albus stepped into the assembled courtroom with hands clasped, and smiled at all those assembled. "Good afternoon, everyone." He greeted as he went down to the bottom, moving to place a hand on the empty chair as he looked up to the Minister.

"I have further evidence in the case regarding Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew." He started. Immediately, whispers and words were flying everywhere, and the Minister sneered.

"That case is over, Dumbledore, he has been sentenced."

"But, if new evidence arises, it is to be brought back." Dumbledore chimed, still smiling pleasantly. "While you get him brought here, with much haste might I ask, I will tell you my story."

There was a long piece where no one moved, despite the whispers and murmurs. Finally, Fudge groaned and turned to the man to his right. "Summon Black.. and three dementors." He mumbled, everyone seeming shocked while Dumbledore nodded, as if this were a wise move on the Minister's part.

Albus started with Remus and Sirius's love, starting in sixth year and carrying through for the six years it took until the Potters murder. He covered much, the decision to choose Peter Pettigrew as a secret keeper and why, the fact that it even remained that only Peter could say the official location even if everyone already knew.

He performed priori incantatum, and everyone saw that it wasn't spell that blasted the muggle street, but was instead a small spell meant to get only Peter, happening moments after the explosion and hitting Pettigrew on the finger.

By the time he reached this point, it came in that Sirius was there. He was brought in, surrounded by the three dementors and completely chained. He sat, hopelessly and not even looking up, in the chair near Dumbledore, being chained to the chair as well.

"My dear boy." Albus started, walking towards Sirius as the dementors shied away, the headmaster putting a hand gently on Sirius's shoulder. "I would like you to tell us your side of the story."

Sirius looked up at Albus's voice, feeling something of the old him coming back. "I.. it might not be entirely right, anymore." He said gruffly, his voice thick until he cleared it. Dumbledore merely opened his hands in a 'go ahead' motion, and so Sirius did.

It matched up well with Dumbledore's, even though he had to take periodic pauses as he tried to remember it. Why was it so bright in here? He thought courtrooms were dim, dark. Maybe he just thought everything was dim and dark now, but it didn't matter, as he kept it from distracting him from the story.

Fudge nodded along, listening until both stories had been told. "Yes, Dumbledore, that's all well and good, but it doesn't explain where Peter went, and there's no proof that Sirius wasn't the secret keeper."

Dumbledore smiled, a twinkle in his eyes, while Sirius just slouched and looked back down. He wasn't sure why he'd been called, there was still no proof, nothing to show it had been Peter, just like the stupid nasally Minister had said.

"Minister, if you would please have holding cell door number three opened." Dumbledore chimed merrily. The Minister glowered at him, but then did it, and there was Peter. There was a collective gasp from the crowd, as there he suddenly was. He was upside down and still petrified, but he was awake and he let out a shrill squeal at all the people starting at him. Lupin led him in with a flick of his wand, eyes settling on Sirius within moments. He looked awful. Not to be mean about it, of course, but he suddenly had too much bone in him, his eyes were dark, and his hair was.. everywhere, and dirty. He looked broken.

Sirius had looked up at the rat-like noise, and immediately snarled, moving to lunge. A combination of Albus's hand and the shackles all around him kept him where he was, but a spark of life came back. "You killed them, you bastard!" He yelled, growling in his chair. Sirius had never had a chance to talk to him, except for those moments before he vanished. Moments.

Peter tried to squirm, to turn himself and escape, his eyes darting as he made whimper noises.

"I present to you, ladies and gentlemen, Peter Pettigrew, missing one finger as expected." Everyone was on their feet to stare, even as Peter was run into a few of them, and a few bits of furniture. Remus was distracted, it was expected. Finally they reached the bottom, and Remus went to stand in front of Sirius, letting Peter drop. All Remus wanted to do was pull his too-thin boyfriend into his arms, soothe him and promise he'd never let anything get to him. Nothing would hurt him ever again. But it was not yet the time, or the place.

Thanks to the accusations, they put him on a chair second chair that was drawn up, chained as well like Sirius, but Remus still kept his wand on the cowering rat.

"Well, we'll need to hold him to ensure it's not polyjuice potion..but if it is him, how did escape?" The Minister asked, leveling Dumbledore with a look.

"He's an unregistered animagus." Albus answered, since Remus was too busy trying to not look at Sirius and to stay focused on Peter. Fudge and everyone else in the room scoffed and murmured.

Fudge drew his own wand this time, pointing it at Peter. Remus rushed forward, knowing that as a rat, Peter would try to escape. Suddenly, Pettigrew was forcibly turned into a rat, squeaking and beginning to run off until Remus shouted "Stupefy!"

They got him back into human form and re-chained before reviving him. Fudge was shaking his head, looking nervous and scared. The Ministry had screwed up, and it would be all over the paper.

"I.. have one more question. Sirius, where do.. where did the Potters live?" He asked, looking at Sirius.

Padfoot, in response, snarled and thrashed a little, but at a slight squeeze from Dumbledore, settled back. He opened his mouth, and then closed it. "I.. can't say." He finally mumbled, shooting a glare to Peter that caused him to shriek and try to dive behind the chair. Being chained to it, it didn't work out very well.

"Peter, where do the Potters live." Fudge already knew the answer. He rose his wand again, threatening if Peter didn't tell the truth.

Peter said their address, in a whimpering noise with wet eyes darting around pleadingly. "Please! Please I just.. I was.. imperiused! I was tricked! I didn't know! I…I…"

"Picked the losing side." Fudge murmured, sitting down and silencing the room. "I.. I hereby pronounce Sirius Black as innocent, and Peter Pettigrew guilty, with the sentence of a life in Azkaban. Now that we know he can turn into a rat, we can also keep him under tighter lock…" He said, looking tired.

The chains restraining Sirius wisely waited until Peter and the dementors were gone before they released him. He rose, and first things first, went to Remus. He stopped just short of the half-breed love of his life, eyes scared. Dreams of being reunited with Remus had turned into terrifying nightmares of rejection, of Remus having moved on.

Sirius moved his mouth, but didn't know what to say. Remus just smiled, moving forward and kissing the thin and cold lips, trying to infect them with his own warm ones. Sirius melted in the kiss, hands moving still hesitantly around Remus. This was right.

Remus wrapped Sirius in a hug, keeping him close as he pulled his lips away. "I missed you, Pads." Remus murmured, glad he'd have a chance to nurse Sirius back to health. Sirius nodded his agreement, before pulling back slightly to look at Remus.

"I feel like this is all a really cruel dream." He said, scared that saying it would make it true. Remus merely grinned, pinching Sirius's arm.

"Think again." He said, as Sirius jerked away from the pain, before giving a smile to match Moony's. 

Holding hands, they turned to Dumbledore, who was coaching Fudge on how to put this in the Prophet gracefully, so it didn't look so much like the Ministry had screwed up. When he was finished, he went over to the newly reunited couple, smiling brightly. 

"Well then! I assume you will go home and become reacquainted. Six years can change someone a lot." He said with a nod, both Marauders nodding slightly, but Remus stopped. 

"I.. I mean, I don't really have a place for us to go. I was searching so much the last six years, it wasn't practical. I mean, Arthur and Molly would take us in, but…"

Dumbledore's face lit up, as if he knew this already and had been hoping for it at the same time. "Wonderful! Hogwarts will be happy to see two of it's favorite pranksters back! Now mind you, you can't stay forever.." The twinkle came back into his eyes. "Unless you were interested in becoming professors." 

Sirius scoffed, knowing he could go back to being an auror with maybe a bit of additional training, but Remus looked interested "I think we'll take that temporary offer for now.. and discuss the professor thing." Remus said, wisely, even while Sirius scrunched his nose. 

"Wonderful!" Dumbledore put the tips of his fingers together. "Then, if you'll excuse me, I have a few things to attend to. I hope to see you in the Great Hall for dinner." And with that, he was gone, shuffling back up and out of the Ministry of Magic.

-

The boys went to Hogwarts first, mostly to get both of them a nice hot shower first and foremost. They spoke of what Remus had done, and held hands unafraid on the way back, grasping closer together as they apparated near the Hogwarts grounds and began walking towards the castle.

Finally, Remus frowned a little. "You're so…"

Sirius was afraid of the worst. Hideous. Your hair is so long. You look worse than a troll. He braced himself for the worst, but Remus instead prodded him in the rib cage. "Ow!" He said, rubbing the place indignantly.

"Skinny." Remus finished, smirking. "We'll need to feed you immediately."

Sirius shook his head, but smiled. "No, I need some proper grooming first. My hair is.. well. I haven't seen a mirror in six years and I don't want to until I've at least washed up." He vowed. Remus shook his head, kissing Sirius's temple. 

"You look handsome as always." But even as it was, once they were inside and clean, Remus couldn't help but acknowledge how much better Sirius looked already. All of Remus's stuff - scattered in different places from the Burrow to his parent's house - appeared, and anything left from Sirius's stuff.

Remus helped Sirius shave up and get his hair clipped, mostly by bestowing little kisses on him here and there. They got him in a fresh set of robes, and after a few hours, despite how skinny Sirius looked, he looked almost exactly how he was six years ago. Skinny, paler, and his eyes were still a little dark, but it was much improved.

Sirius noticed that Remus was skinnier too, but instead of being pale he was tanner than usual, and only a little skinnier. His hair was shaggy, but not overly long, and looked okay now that it was clean. He still persuaded Moony to let him give it a trim, and then both looked shockingly similar to how they'd looked before all this happened. A few new wrinkles, from worry and stress, but both men could still smile, and they considered that big victory.

It was the first moment in six years that it actually felt like Voldemort was actually gone.


End file.
